The influx of refugees reaching Nigeria from the Federal Republic of Ambazonia since the violence peaked in October 2017 has reached a new threshold. Local Government Areas; Kwanda and Odukpani of the Benue state have registered 20,291 individuals as of March 8.
UNHCR began monitoring border crossing activities at points such as Danare, Basua, Biaju, Abandiku and Apkarabong, all in the Cross River state. The move is geared at effectively keeping tabs on the movement across the various points of entry and enable to the delivery of aid and protection to those fleeing the crisis in Ground Zero. Local government officials, village chieftains, state security agencies and the Nigeria Immigration Service are working together to facilitate the transition of the displaced people and new arrivals.
While the conflict deepens, the UN refugee agency has noted the measures taken by colonial governor Lele Lafrique Adolphe in extending curfew in the Northern Zone and the prohibition of the circulation of motorbikes.
Cross River state officials have allocated land for the construction of settlement at Okoja, to host some 10,000 asylum seekers from Ambazonia. The settlement is part of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s commitment to support the UNHCR desire to host asylum seekers about 50 km away from the international border, for the sake of guaranteeing their protection and safety.
A joint mission between NCFMI and the UNHCR was dispatched on March 7 to verify reports of asylum seekers at Akwa-Ibom state. Bringing the total number of states hosting refugees from Ambazonia to four since the start of the conflict. Cross River, Benue, and Taraba are the other states hosting displaced and destitute people from the Southern Cameroons as they flee the heavy-handedness of La Republique.
Neba Benson,
BaretaNews Foreign Correspondent/Analyst
